Mangalore: Unidentified men shoot at hotel owner near Ballalbagh

Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (NM)

Mangalore, Aug 2: Unidentified men opened fire at the owner of a restaurant on Mannagudda - Ballalbagh road here on Friday August 2 evening.

Vijayendra Bhat, owner of Tom & Chilly restaurant was driving towards in his black Scorpio (KA 14 N 11) Ballalbagh when two men came on a bike and shot at him. The bullet smashed the window pane on the driver's side.

However, the attackers, in a hurry to escape, hit a Hero Honda bike which was a little distance away. They fell from the bike. The two persons who were riding the Hero Honda also fell.

But before they could be caught or identified, the attackers got up and fled with their bike.

Meanwhile, Vijayendra, shaken by the incident, got out of the car and ran out to his restaurant located close by, and hid himself for a while fearing that he may be attacked again.

Sources said that three days back, Vijayendra had received a call from underworld don Vicky Shetty demanding 'hafta', but he chose to ignore it.

The police arrived, and on searching, they found the bullet at the spot where the firing had taken place. Glass pieces were strewn all over the seat and on the car mat.

Ajay Anand and Nagaraj, who were riding the Hero Honda, told daijiworld that while trying to take a left turn, they were hit by the Pulsar bike. "We had not idea that there had been a firing, and thought it was an accident. By the time we got up, the men on the Pulsar had vanished, taking the turn towards Lalbagh. It was only when people started to gather that we realized what had happened," they said.

Sharath, owner of a shop in the vicinity who witnessed the incident said that he tried to chase the attackers but they disappeared before he could even get their bike number. He said he had no idea where they went.

DCP Dharmaiah and other police officials arrived at the spot.

Apart from being a hotelier, Vijayendra is also a businessman and owns Sudheendra Mills located near PVS junction.

Barke police have registered a case. Vijayendra's Scorpio was taken to the police station.